By Jochen SchleeSe, certified maSter Saddler
Finding a saddle for your wider horse doesn’t have to be a challenge.
Here are the two main points of concern.
nyone who has ever owned a pony or wider horse
knows the trials and tribulations of finding a saddle
to fit these Thelwell lookalikes. Many people end up
breaking out the special saddle pads, cruppers and breastplates
in an effort to keep their saddles in place.
There are several considerations when fitting a saddle for a
wide-backed horse, but the key ones to keep in mind are tree
width and angle. Most riders are aware that saddle trees come
in narrow, medium or wide, but these designations can refer
both to the width and the angle of the tree. If the saddle is a
“wide narrow”, this means the saddle has a wide tree width
and a narrow tree angle.
tree angle and shoulder movement
It is important that the saddle stay behind the horse’s shoulder.
If it does not, and constantly moves forward, the tree points of
the saddle will drive into the horse’s shoulders, first producing a
buildup of scar tissue on his scapula, then chipping away cartilage
and bone. This can lead to persistent unsoundness, possible longterm damage, and premature retirement.
In order to avoid this kind of damage, it is crucial that the angle
of the tree be adjusted to match the angle of the horse’s shoulder.
Think of two sliding doors. If they are properly aligned, one will
slide freely past the other. If they are not, one door will jam into
the other. It is the same with the horse’s shoulders and the angle
of the tree. As the horse moves, his shoulder rotates upward
and backwards. If the tree angle does not match the angle of
the shoulder, it will be unable to rotate freely under the saddle,
compromising movement, sometimes severely.
32
equine wellness
CheCking and measuring the tree angle
We recommend a tool like the SprengerTM gauge to determine
if the tree angle matches the angle of
the horse’s shoulder. The Sprenger
goes behind the shoulder blade, and is
set so that the upper arm of the device
is parallel to the angle of the horse’s
scapula. The tree of the saddle should
be adjusted so that the tree angle
matches that of the shoulder.
To determine if the tree angle on the
saddle is correct for the horse, put the
saddle on without a saddle pad. Check
if the angle of the piping on the front
of the flap matches the angle of the
horse’s shoulder. If it does, the angle
of the tree is correctly adjusted.
Baroque-style horses especially need to have saddles that
accommodate freedom over the withers to allow their huge
moving shoulders to move freely. While Thoroughbreds often
have the paradox of “narrow wide trees” (to accommodate
narrow shoulders but big withers), Baroque horses (Lusitano,
Andalusian, etc.) usually have little to no withers and really
wide shoulders, resulting in a need for wide narrow trees.
tree width and shoulder rotation
The tree width must be enough for the horse’s shoulders to rotate
freely. Often, we see a saddle with a tree width that is too narrow
for a particular horse. Not only do the shoulders not move freely
Same Angle - Different Width
Tree width and angle are two very different things.
The tree width needs to be wide enough to allow the
horse’s shoulders to rotate freely. These three angles
are the same, even though the widths are different.
Same Width - Different Angles
This illustration shows how you can have the
same tree width, with three different angles. The
tree angle should be adjusted to match that of the
horse’s shoulder.
under such a saddle, but the saddle can be driven forward on top of the shoulders while
you are riding. This will result in the problems we discussed above. Trying to make a
saddle that is too narrow fit by adding more padding is akin to wearing another pair of
socks to make shoes fit if they’re already too tight – it won’t work!
If the tree width is too wide, the entire saddle may rock or slip from side to side when
it’s being ridden, or the back half of the saddle may twist to one side or the other (this
equine wellness
33
may also happen when one side of the horse – usually the left – is
more heavily muscled, forcing the saddle over to the other side
in compensation).
Saddle makers and fitters should consider both tree width and
tree angle when fitting a saddle to a particular horse. Tree width
and angle need to be adjusted together. If the width of the tree
is correct for the horse but the angle is not, the saddle will not
fit. The same applies if the angle is good, but the width is not.
Adding or removing flocking from the vertical panels of the
saddle will not solve the problem – the gullet plate needs to be
adjusted. Some self-adjustable gullet plates will accommodate
angle adjustment, but will not allow width adjustment (over
the wither area). At times, both the width and angle of the
saddle’s tree are incorrect for a particular horse, possibly
causing restrictive movement damage.
Your saddle plays a crucial role in the well being and
performance of your horse. If you are in doubt of your current
saddle’s fit, or are having a challenge finding something to
fit your wider mount, contact a certifiedsaddle fitting professional in your area to give you a diagnostic evaluation.
Jochen SchleeSe
certified maSter Saddler
PaSSier, and came to
canada aS official Saddler at the 1986 world
dreSSage chamPionShiPS. he regiStered the
trade of Saddlery in north america in 1990.
Jochen’S lifelong Study of equine develoPment,
Saddle deSign, the Bio-mechanicS of horSe
and rider in motion, and the effectS of ill-fitting SaddleS, led to the
eStaBliShment of Saddlefit 4 life in 2005 (Saddlefit4life.com), a gloBal
iS a
who graduated from
network of equine ProfeSSionalS dedicated to Protecting horSe and rider
from long term damage. SchleeSe.com
34
equine wellness
Used with permission by Equine Wellness Magazine. EquineWellnessMagazine.com